I received my wedding jewellery as a gift from my future inlaws. The problem is – I am not sure I like the pearl necklace from this set. It seems so big and chunky on me. I am not sure whether this is because I normally wear very minimal jewellery and am just not used to how it looks on me or it actually does take away from the wedding look I was going for (slightly vintage, Audrey Hepburn like feel). Please help me decide what to do! Do you feel this necklace is also too big on me (1st picture) and shortening it should fix it (2nd picture tries to simulate that)?

That necklace is a bit much in my opinion. It looks very much like costume jewelry. Nothing wrong with that, I wear costume jewelry at times. But, I think this necklace is too much for your dress and your small frame. Shortening it, at least in that second picture makes it hit your neck at a strange place and makes your neck look much wider than it is. You are tiny and have an adorable, slim figure and it is not doing you any favors.

That makes things awkward with the ILs I know…perhaps you can wear the necklace for a few pictures or to the rehearsal dinner? Can you say your mom also got you something that you didn’t know about until recently?

As an aside I think buying you wedding jewelry is presumptuous since it is so personal to many people, you may have had an heirloom in mind, etc. I am sure it came with the best of intentions though. Keep us posted.

This reply was modified 2 years, 5 months ago by Stiletto13. Reason: Edited for a spelling error

there is no way i can get away with not wearing it, it is part of the wedding custom and it would be considered an insult. My best approach here would be to have it modified in some way. I find it difficult to come up with any design for such clunky pearls that would actually end up looking delicate. My best find so far seems to be this:

Jaanat: I don’t like how big the pearls are either – way to costumey for me. Since you can’t get away with not wearing it, then I would definitely try to modify it somehow. But how can you get away with modifying it? To me that’s not much different than just wearing an entirely different necklace.

I think it looks better shorter. Although the pp says it makes your neck look wider, that wouldn’t be true if you actually shortened the necklace. It would lie closer to the base of your neck. It is being held away from the base of your neck by the people in the back of the picture.

You could use the leftover pearls to make a bracelet or earrings, but not necessarily wear them that day.

I love pearls. When you have a big strand like that, IMO, a short necklace has the effect of making your shoulders look wider. A longer necklace has the effect of moving the gaze down the body… I think it is elongating the torso. For that reason, I prefer it long, but PP is right… if you don’t like it, why not wear it as a bracelet?

I love pearls, but the smaller pearls- these almost look like the pearls on the flinstones that wilma or betty wore 24/7. I like the idea of looping them around your wrist to make a bracelet. If you have to wear it as a necklace I think the longer length looks best… Or you could take one off the strand and make a simple single pearl necklace like this and use the rest for earrings & a bracelet or even a brooch for your sash? https://img0.etsystatic.com/020/0/5223743/il_340x270.501741446_qarx.jpg